Charlotte NC Museums and Galleries: What they have to offer and how you can help support them during this time.
Note: Most museums and galleries simply want your patience and understanding during this time more than anything. Many are closed, and some have a non-existent PR/marketing team. To help the arts flourish, museums, galleries, and artists themselves need your attention and support, monetary and otherwise.
Bechtler Museum of Modern Art
The Bechtler will remain closed until it is safe to resume daily and programmatic museum operations. The Bechtler Museum accepts donations and memberships throughout the year; feel free to email the director of programming to do so. Please visit the website for more info.
The Mint
In accordance with the ‘Stay at Home’ order issued for Mecklenburg County, both locations of The Mint Museum will remain closed though April 30. Staff will be available and reachable to answer any questions you may have. Please call 704-337-2000 for all inquiries including donations and memberships.
Harvey B. Gantt
In the best interest of their staff and community, the Gantt Center will be closed to the public until further notice. The staff will still be responsive and available to serve you. Please call (704) 547-3700 for any inquiries including donations and memberships.
Discovery Place
The health and safety of guests and employees are top priority. With that in mind, Discovery Place Science will close to the public until April 30. In regards to Museum reservations, events, field trips, donations and memberships, please contact their Guest Services department at 704.372.6261 or email at info@discoveryplace.org.
Levine Museum of the New South
In the interest of the health and safety of visitors and staff, the Museum is closed to the public until further notice. The Levine Museum of the New South accepts donations throughout the year, please visit the website to learn more.
Elder Gallery
Out of respect and concern for the health of staff and visitors, the gallery will be open by appointment only until further notice. Please email Sonya at sonya@eldergalleryclt.com. You can continue to support the museum and artist through your purchases in the online store. Also, feel free to follow @elder_gallery_CLT on Instagram for virtual tours and experiences during this time.
SOZO Gallery
The gallery is currently closed until at least April 16. However, they are answering questions via phone and email. Please email gallery@sozogallery.net for all inquiries.
McColl Center for Art + Innovation
In conjunction with Governor Roy Cooper’s directives, McColl Center is closed to the public until further notice. If you want to register for any events or workshops for the upcoming future, you may do so. They are working to create online art workshops for adults and children. More details coming soon. Please feel free to contact staff members with questions or concerns. Information will be updated on our website and/or on social media channels (@mccollcenter).
Nascar Hall of Fame
For the best interest and protection of the guests, members and team members, the NASCAR Hall will be closed to the public. Please know that memberships will be extended for the length of time the NASCAR Hall of Fame is closed, racing insider tours will be rescheduled for future dates and general admission tickets purchased in advance will be honored at any other date. Membership and Artifact donations will continue to be accepted throughout the year, please visit website for details.
The New Gallery of Modern Art
NGMA will transition to weekly online exhibits. “Sharing and engaging in art is more important now than ever,” owner Irina Toshkova says. In that spirit, the gallery will present the first of a weekly series of online exhibitions with Shaun Cassidy: Sharps & Sounds. “While everything continues to shift around us, we hope that these new exhibitions give each of you a chance to experience the enthusiasm we bring to the art and artists we love.”
The Light Factory
The Light Factory will be postponing classes and temporarily closing the gallery due to the impact of COVID-19. However, memberships and donations will continuously be accepted. Please visit the website for more info.
Wells Fargo Museum
Wells Fargo Museums will be closed temporarily to ensure the ongoing safety of the public and employees. Their historians make the museum come alive for any class or other large group through artifacts, stories, and hands-on experiences. To book a tour for the near future, please call 704-715-1866 or email wfmuseum.clt@wellsfargo.com to discuss our group visit options. All tours are free.
More information on supporting Charlotte NC Museums and Galleries during this time:
Negotiations are ongoing in the Senate on what is being called “Phase Three” of the COVID-19 response relief package. In order to support the sector at this vital time, request that your members of Congress include the following in the current legislative package currently being negotiated:
• Support $4 billion in COVID-19 relief funding to be administered by the National Endowment for the Arts, with additional funding for the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the Institute of Museum and Library Services—House Arts Caucus Co-Chair Rep. Chellie Pingree (D-ME) and House STEAM Caucus Co-Chair Rep. Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR) led a letter to House Leadership with this ask, Senate Cultural Caucus Co-Chair Sen. Tom Udall (D-NM) did the same in the Senate. Waive matching requirements and general operating support reprogramming for FY2020 grantees, as well as for COVID-19-specific grantmaking.
• Encourage charitable giving by increasing the allowable amount of the proposed $300 above-the-line tax deduction available to taxpayers that do not itemize their returns, and removing AGI limits on allowed deductions for charitable giving.
• Ensure that proposed forgivable SBA disaster relief loans support all arts and culture workers by: specifying that access to forgivable loans is available for self-employed workers, increasing the employer eligibility threshold by applying the 500 employee cap to fulltime employees, and eliminating the employer size cap for nonprofit organizations.
• Support pandemic unemployment benefits for workers ineligible for state unemployment benefits, which will provide essential support for self-employed workers in the arts and culture sector.
• Ensure arts eligibility for additional forms of disaster relief, such as Community Development Block Grants, education and lifelong learning programs, and health and wellness initiatives.
Help support Charlotte NC museums and galleries today!
